Sakurada-mon — Attraction in Tokyo

This seemingly humble gate is the only place in the world you can see the relatively well preserved spot of not 1, but 2 famous assassination operations which changed history.

In 1860, Ii Naosuke of Hikone region(=now Shiga), one of major persons in power of Japan, was killed by samurais of Mito-han, now Ibaraki region. Ii Naosuke was so powerful that he was responsible for major governmental decisions such as choosing new Shogun of Tokugawa, and the conclusion of the first diplomatic treaty with US. To attack his procession, Mito samurais used not only traditional samurai blades, but also pistols. After his death, many samurais on both sides were executed, and this assassination was the start of the slow weakening of Tokugawa power and the rising of Japanese imperialism. The 2 Japanese regions of Ibaraki and Shiga, quarreled more than 100 years.

And 72 years later, in 1932, another assassination operation on this spot again, which Japanese have wanted to erase. Actually most Japanese don't know about it now. In the wake of the Manchurian Incident which was the booming point for Japanese Empire, a Korean freedom fighter, Lee Bong Chang succeed in the solo operation of throwing a grenade on the procession of then Japanese emperor Hirohito, only injuring 2 staff members because the grenade was too weak. It has been the only known assassination attempt against any persons on Japanese throne. (In 1920s, A native Japanese shot a pistol toward Hitohito's procession when he was the crown prince.)

Lee, a Korean descent, too, was technically a Japanese citizen then, because Korea was a Japanese colony.

The Korean democratic government in exile had ordered Lee's operation, by Lee's volunteering first, to gain the partership with Chinese government. Without Lee's operation, Korean government in exile might not have survived in China. With Lee's operation, Korean freedom fighters got a political partnership with China, and 9 years later with US which was trying every card to revenge the Pearl Harbor Bombing by Japan.

Lee was executed in 1932, according to the then Japanese laws about any person having tried to harm the Emperor and his dietect heirs.

And in 1946, on the next year when Korea was liberated, Kim Ku, the head of Korean government in exile, officially brought Lee's bones from Japan to Korea as a hero's coming home, because Lee was one of warriors who carried out one way missions calmly, sacrificing their own lives to let the world to know the fact that Koreans wanted to get their own government back again.

Since 1945, Japan has remained a peace- loving democratic country, and is loved by all people in the world. South Korea and Japan are amicable partners.

Although North Korea doesn't have any official relationship with Japan, but it treats Japan more politely than South Korea. (You should listen which derrogative words Noth Korea media use against South Korea. Sigh.)

So you can stand here a few minutes and think about all these past torrents and thank for the...

This is one of the place where we can feel the history of Tokyo, formerly known as Edo. I suggest to go through Sakurada-mon, to get more mood. After going through the gate, you can see the buildings of Japan's established companies.

But in this garden, the mood is surprisingly calm. I prefer to visit this garden in the evening to see the night view. (Even at night, since this area is close to imperial palace, safe)

Through garden you can also approach main entrance to Tokyo station which is...

This impressive gate was built in 1620 & is the largest remaining castle gate.

I was not only impressed with the size of the timbers used, but also how they dry-fitted the supporting walls – yes, no mortar was used on this!

Strategic design, too. Invaders need to make a hard right when they enter putting them @ huge risk of attack. No...